Check In 9.18 (EDD 12.24-12.31+)

katy0990 · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby?

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

katy0990 · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby?

I am 25+1 today, so the size of a cauliflower, which seems smaller than the cantelope from last week, but whatever.

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

I am having back pain and some random thigh tingling and numbness. Also, I have to bee 458956 times each day, but for the most part, I am feeling pretty good.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

We are going on a 5 day trip to Texas and I am praying that DS sleeps. He typically refuses to nap if we are out (and even at home sometimes). Also, it can take him hours to fall asleep at home, so all 3 of us in a hotel room could be rough!

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

I took this year off and am just subbing here and there. I plan to be off until at least next school year, depending on where we are at financially. My H is planning on taking the first 1.5-2 weeks if I have a c-section, maybe a little less if I go vaginally. Then, te plan is that he will take one day each week for a month or two to spend time with DS and take him on outings, so I am not dragging a newborn into cesspools of germs during cold and flu season.

lexidawg · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby?

25w5d - cauliflower

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

I am just SO SO SO tired all of the time. Heartburn is on the rise.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

I am now working from home 2 consecutive days a week as per doctors orders due to my left foot/leg swelling. This is a good thing.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

MH gets 8 weeks of full pay and needs to be taken as soon as the baby is born and needs to be consecutive weeks. Mine is a little more complicated. We have been trying to have a baby for 3 years. So for all that time, i have been hoarding vacation time and taking very little. My vacation time rolls from year to year. So it breaks down like this:

Week 1 - Sick time

Week 2-8 - Short Term Disability at 60% pay

Week 9 - Sick time

Week 10-21 - Vacation time

I know how lucky I am.

katy0990 · September 2018

@lexidawg That is wonder that you are both able to take so much time, especially paid!

lexidawg · September 2018

@katy0990 I like to think about it as the universe's way to reward me for all the effed up things I've had to endure to get this take home baby!

mcgeeva · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby? 24 wks 6 days, melon

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms? Eh just lower stomach pains these days mainly when walking, reflux all day night and that's about it

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary? Meh nope

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.) Well if I can afford which is iffy since I have to use 2 wks saved pto then get paid 8 wks by my firm, the rest will be unpaid. If I can swing it would love to do 16 wks since this is my last. I rarely take off working full time with kids so would like to really enjoy family time for this last go round. I will take my oldest out of before and after care so that just means we will save on that cost and I will need to drag my butt to and from the bus. Hoping for a much easier maternity leave this time. Going to plan in early December to make sure my boys are in camps the two weeks school is closed during the holidays. My husband doesn't get paternity leave so how it has always gone, I have a c-section, he is in the hospital for 4 days with my running back and forth, home for 3 more days then back to work!

lexidawg you have crazy leave! So jealous!

katy0990 awesome leave as well and you will be home through summer.

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby?

25w3d, large cucumber or 13.6"!!

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

Feeling pretty good. No new symptoms but my crazy dreams have come in full force!

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

Rave: DS came up to me when I was making dinner Sunday night, hugged my legs, and said "I love you." Melted my heart. Usually he only says it when we say it to him first.

Dear Diary: Yesterday we got a message from daycare saying that after he finished his lunch, DS doesn't want to get up from the table and sits there watching friends eat because he's still hungry. She asked that we pack him a bigger lunch. I cried. I feel so bad. I can just imagine him sitting there after he's done eating and it breaks my heart. We didn't pack food when my MIL watched him, and he got to snack whenever, so it was different. I cried telling my mom last night and I'm crying typing this out now. *Sigh* I feel so bad. Obviously we've corrected that and it won't happen again but I just feel so bad.

Rant: Yesterday after running on the treadmill at the gym I was spraying down a rag to wipe the treadmill and some old fat guy comes up to me and starts telling me how I need to be careful working out while pregnant. This is not m first rodeo, I worked out until I went into labor with DS. I know what I am doing. I know what my body can and can't handle. Mind your own business. Then another old man (it maybe have been the same one, I'm unsure) came over to me while I was working my legs and tries to tell me what to do. I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING! I've been working out regularly for 9 years, this is NOT new to me. *eye roll*

GTKY: Maternity leave plans?

I will have use or lose leave at work at year end so I am hoping for my last day to be 12/18 or 12/19 or even that Monday. I will then take maternity leave for 13 weeks like I did with DS. I believe DH might get a week ff, at least I am hoping. That's what he did with DS.

@katy0990 They did not give him extra snack, I don't think. He had extra snack in his bag though. I usually send three snacks, just incase. I guess she didn't realize she could give him one with his lunch as well. By the time I saw the message it was nap time, so they were all asleep. DH took a pizza in after their nap though, so all the kids got to have pizza for their afternoon snack.

shevsky · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby?

26+1, head of kale.

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

Haven't had a good night of sleep in so, so long. Feeling like a zombie. I just get SO hot at night, and constantly wake up in a sweat, even though I keep our bedroom at 70 degrees. I've also been having more cramps lately which kinda make me feel blah. They aren't too intense, just feel like period cramps. He's also constantly kicking me at night and that wakes me up. Just generally can't fall asleep, can't stay asleep, getting up to pee MINIMUM 5 TIMES (not exaggerating), and sweating, hot flashes. Ugh. I'm a mess.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

Please let me get some sleep tonight! Also feel my piriformis muscle tightening again...but I've been slacking on (read: not doing) my PT exercises so maybe I better get back on that foam roller today.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

I'm taking at least a year off while I figure out what I want to do next career-wise. My husband has 4 weeks paid paternity leave which is awesome, and I'm so excited to have him at home with me and spend time with the baby in that period. His work also takes a week long break first week of January (he works at a big university) so we're hoping to plan it so that the four weeks start after that week to make it 5 weeks total.

mcgeeva · September 2018

@AdorkablePixie don't worry about your son. They told you, you fixed it done! We have all been there

shevsky awesome leave as well.

What in the world does everyone do to be able to afford so much time at home? Living in northern va costs too much!

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva So you have had multiple c-sections? Can I ask you a bunch of questions please?!?
@AdorkablePixie That is great that your H took in pizza for the kiddos. I’m sure that was a highlight of his day!
@shevsky I hear you on the nighttime pee breaks. I always have to go right after I get comfy. That is wonderful that you are both able to take so much time off!

shevsky · September 2018

@lexidawg So awesome that your husband gets 8 paid weeks off! I'm also very lucky that my husband gets essentially 5-6 weeks paid off (including the holiday days off). Very grateful. So you basically have 21 weeks off?! That's incredible! It will be so nice to have that time together. And you totally deserve it after your long journey to get here.

@katy0990 That numbness sounds scary! Do compression socks help? Also on the pee train with you...

katy0990 · September 2018

@shevsky I have not tried compression socks this time. They didn’t help with my last pregnancy, though. Honestly, until it cools down, I probably will not try them. The tingling and numbness is enough, I do not want my legs to be all sweaty, too.

mcgeeva · September 2018

@katy0990 yep shoot! This will be my third c-section and last.

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva Thank you!
How was the recovery with a toddler? I am really worried about not being able to lift my son, but him seeing me lift the baby.

How does an emergency c-section compare to a planned one?

Was it easier the second time, knowing what to expect?

Would you rather have your husband with you in the hospital, or work while you were in the hospital and take more time off when you are at home?

mcgeeva · September 2018

@katy0990 recovery wasn't horrible but I had a husband that traveled a wk after birth so no lifting/no driving was no option for me. My son just turned 2 and wanted to be held still. I would have him climb on the couch to join me but still had to lift him into a car seat to get to daycare etc. I was fine, hurt a little and bleed longer because of it but honestly I had zero way around it. But I don't think it was that bad. Being that is wasn't an emergency after bedrest for 6 weeks recovery was so so much faster. To be perfectly honest the emergency was better in the aspect I was so drugged I felt nothing and the planned - even though I didn't make it to my c-section date, I felt like puking the whole time and cried. I mentally couldn't handle the tugging etc so I think im just a baby. I would rather have him off during hospital time because I want him to see the baby, be there for birth and I know during this time he will spend 50 percent of his time running home to drop off, pick up my boys from school/activities and he wouldn't be able to do all three if he worked the entire time. If we had family help then I you tell him to work and just stop by in the evenings to see the baby at the hospital then go home to the kids but just too much darn running. I am hoping this time around will be an easier c-section since it's planned again unless I go early and get a random person again. But who knows could be that I got a surgeon that wasn't as great as another which is why I had a rougher c-section.

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@lexidawg That is great you both get to take such a nice amount of time of leave!! I'm able to take 13 weeks (which will actually be 15-16 with use or lose time) thanks to accrued sick and annual leave!!

@katy0990 I hope your trip goes well. Usually DS sleeps better in hotel rooms, I think because the room is so dark.. He slept GREAT when we were in FL, slept in every day until 8-8:30. The first night he woke up once and cried a little, I think he was confused.. but I rubbed his back and he fell right back to sleep. When we went to the Bahamas, that was a different story, but it was warm, wasn't dark in the room, and the crib they had him in was super small.

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@mcgeeva 16 weeks leave would be awesome. I wish our maternity leave in the states wasn't so crappy. I would love to take the whole first year off, but that's just not possible. I can only take off the time I am taking off because of how my leave accrues. I get 8 hours a pay period and then 10 the last pay period of the year, sick leave I get 4 hours every pay period. Sick leave can roll over from one year to the next in any amount, I can rollover up to 240 hours of annual leave a year. So since we started TTC again, I started saving up my leave. Otherwise there is no way I'd be able to take off the time I am!

@shevsky The amount of times I have to get up to pee some nights is insane. On the rare night when I actually sleep all night without getting up to pee I am impressed. lol

mcgeeva · September 2018

@AdorkablePixie I totally get it. I switched companies 2 years ago this coming Jan. So I have limited leave. We have to accrue to use and we only get 6.7 hours every 2.5 weeks which is nothing if you are ever running late etc or have a sick kid. So I have to run numbers to see if we can even swing that. I took off this year for my retrieval and apts in between for testing so there went my leave!

mikinna · September 2018

@AdorkablePixie Omg I get that at the gym too. Like, why do guys think we turn into glass figurines when we get pregnant? Lol but it’s awesome you’re being healthy, so keep on keeping on

@shevsky it’s really great you are taking some time to change careers. Do you know what you think you may like to do?

How far along are you? How big is baby?

I’m 25wks, so she’s about cauliflower size

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

Honestly, I haven’t had any symptoms since 13wks...I consider myself VERY lucky. But it’s fun to feel her push against me she played push hands with the cat a few minutes ago which was damn adorable.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

Umm...no rants or anything, but my husband and I are taking a small babymoon to Salem, MA in Oct. which I’m so excited about! We were going to go to FL, but since the algae bloom is still a problem there, we’ll wait til next year.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

I am a stay at home Chaos Coordinator, so no maternity leave for me :P And I have no clue how long my husband gets off, he keeps forgetting to look it up. But I’m not worried, his boss is super cool and if all else fails will let him work from home for a while, if not permanently.

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva Thanks! I’m really hopeful that this time will be easier. Last time, I was in labor for 40 hours and my cervix swelled, so I was recovering from that plus the C-section. This time, I’m hoping it will be easier. I’m just worried about not lifting my toddler. He is able to climb in his car seat and his bed on his own, so I should be able to avoid it. I am just concerned about the emotional toll on him. I was actually not able to lift him for most of my first trimester and he still asks me anytime I have a doctors appointment, “Can you still lift me, Mommy?” It breaks my heart.
@AdorkablePixie The last time we stayed in a hotel, he was 15 months old and he was awake until after 130 in the morning. It was awful! When we went to NC, in August, We stayed in a condo, so we would put him in the bed and then go out in the living room and it still took him anywhere between 10 o’clock and midnight to fall asleep.

mcgeeva · September 2018

He will be okay! They all get over it. They will have moments of jealously but you just make special him and mommy time.

tunnel · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby? 25ish weeks - Cauliflower

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms? The regular, non-trigger related acid reflux is starting up.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary? I failed my 1hr glucose test, so now I have to take the dreaded 3 hour one. I'm not surprised because I failed the 1hr (and passed the 3hr) with my first, but it still sucks and I do have some fear about failing the 3hr.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.) I am lucky to live in a state that actually has some paid pregnancy leave and to work for a pretty great company! My disability will start 4 weeks prior to my due date. I will then have 6 weeks of disability (assuming a vaginal delivery without complications). Then I'll take about 12 weeks of leave through NJ's family leave law. So that's 22 weeks total. I will receive 100% of my salary for 12 weeks. The remainder will be unpaid. H owns his own business, so he will be home as time permits.

katy0990 · September 2018

@tunnel Thats great that NJ has that option! Good luck with your 3 hour glucose test!

gorgeousariel · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby? 24+1

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

Pretty good but I'm getting crazy Braxton Hicks everyday now.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

We are redoing the backroom and turning it into DDs play room. It's turning out really cute but there's so much to do. We have plans to build her a little kitchen area and a stage area. And then there's the bathroom that is going to be our focus when DH is off for 2 weeks at the beginning of October.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

I'm not really sure about me. I will have JUST made it 1 yr at Hallmark when baby is born ( and that's if he doesn't come TOO early). I need to ask my suoersuper about leave but I'm sure she'll just give me the number to HR.

As far as DH: he has vacation time he has to use by the end of the year. He has so much vacation left he's taking 2 weeks in October, the week after Thanksgiving, and the week between Christmas and New year. BUT because that's when baby will likely be here that last week is contingent on when baby is actually born. He can take it early but that's literally the last week he can take it so if baby stays in there the whole time, then DH will have a week before baby is born and then he will use a week of 2019 vacation time when baby is here.

katy0990 · September 2018

@gorgeousariel that sounds like an awesome play room!

scaredunprepared · September 2018

@mikinna welcome! Salem in October sounds super fun. Enjoy! Also "chaos coordinator" lol I love it! Definitely lucky your hubby has the option to work from home.

@tunnel gotta love the reflux. Sorry about failing the 1hr test, hopefully it's the same situation as last time and you pass the 3 hr. I don't remember if I knew you were in Jersey too, but YAY for another December Jersey mom! I'm not taking advantage of family leave like I should be, but such is life when you're part time at a very small company and planning on being a SAHM after baby comes. 22 weeks of leave is a pretty sweet deal. How awesome that YH will likely be home quite a bit as well.

@gorgeousariel Braxton hicks every day? Yikes! Sounds like you guys are BUSY with home updates in prep for baby. Hope it all gets done in your expected time frame.

How far along are you? How big is baby? 26+1, baby is as big as kale, apparently.

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms? Feeling well, considering the craziness of life recently. My back has been aching since Sunday pretty much nonstop. I've been using the glider for some relief. I may need to sleep in it tonight. The usual pillow fort on my bed isn't working anymore because reflux, and propped up in sitting on the couch didn't work for my back, so.... meh. Those are pretty much my only complaints at the moment, which isn't too bad!

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary? Looks like chemo is going to be our next course of action against our dog's cancer. Not really looking forward to that. SO has been stepping it up recently and has been pretty helpful, so he gets bonus points this week.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.) I'm basically going to be taking an indefinite leave of absence from my job starting the day before Thanksgiving. The cost of childcare is literally insane, so I'm going to try my hand at this SAHM thing and be a "chaos coordinator" like @mikinna. Makes no sense to pay my entire salary just so someone else can take care of my kid while I work to afford said kid-carer. SO will be taking about 2 weeks of leave, then has to go back for 2 weeks, then will be able to take another week or 2. He has a job where they basically need to work mandatory overtime to keep their salary because overtime is expected and calculated into their pay. If overtime drops below a certain amount, he will drop to a lower pay grade. So I'll be on my own for a bit pretty early on. Any advice from moms who've been in similar situations? How do you deal with a newborn on your own? The thought terrifies me.

katy0990 · September 2018

@scaredunprepared It is tough, but honestly, if you breastfeed, the majority of the baby care will fall on you whether he is home or not. My H returned to work 4 days after we got home from the hospital and we survived. The house wasn’t very clean (I had a c-section, so I couldn’t lift much or vacuum), but we managed. The toughest part was the loneliness I felt at night while he slept and I was bfing and trying to stay awake. Honestly, I found it easier to manage an immobile infant than managing a mobile tornado inducing toddler, these days! Also, I’m sorry your dog has to go through chemo *hugs*

scaredunprepared · September 2018

@katy0990 I am planning to breastfeed, so I guess that most responsibly will be on me. I'm pumping too, so hoping baby will take a bottle for nights I'm too exhausted and SO will take over. I see the toddler tornado with my niece, so I know what we're in for and definitely going to be dreading that! Thanks, I can use all the hugs right now!

katy0990 · September 2018

@scaredunprepared The hardest part of bfing is you really don’t get a break those first couple of months. If you already know this, I apologize, but I wish I had a better understanding of the supply and demand going into bfing. If you want to keep your supply up, you have to nurse or pump every time baby eats. So, if baby takes a 2 am bottle of breastmilk, you really have to pump at 2 am, so your body keeps producing at that time. I had hoped to have my H give some overnight bottles, too, but it was less work to just nurse the baby than to pump. Just something to keep in mind, that I didn’t know as a FTM.

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@mikinna Yes! And they're men... they have no idea what pregnancy is like and unless they're doctor, they have no idea what they are talking about. I've had minimal symptoms as well, we're lucky!

@tunnel That is so nice you can take so much time off and 12 weeks of it is paid!!

@gorgeousariel That sounds like a nice playroom! I've been thinking about turning our guest room in the basement into a playroom for the kids and turning my office into an office/guestroom. It's not like we have guests often enough for it to be a problem.

@scaredunprepared I'm so sorry about your sweet fur baby. As far as being alone with a newborn, it wasn't terrible for me. DH went back to work after a week so I was alone with DS from 8-5:45 every day. I'd be bored some days though, so I 'd go visit my MIL or take DS and walk around the mall with him in the k'tan. In the beginning he pretty much just slept and nursed so I'd sleep when he did because I was exhausted.

mcgeeva · September 2018

Hang in there ladies I tell myself everything is temporary but I couldn’t be home full time forever. It’s not in me to do so I give me kids so much more of me after going to work. I find myself way short when I’m alone with my boys after a long weekend and I’m sure being tired from preganancy doesn’t help. Bfding is also stressful as f but I wouldn’t change it. It sucks it really falls on us women. I did it for year for each of my boys and pumping at work was harder than anything else trying to keep the supply up and juggling a toddler and trying to feed when I got home. My husband always traveled so I remember playing basket ball while bfding and some nights it was giving a bottle bc I pumped too late at work. But I’m pretty sure a ton of husbands are like mine where they could sleep through a bomb going off! No joke my husband slept next to my son when he had the stomach flu bc I had it first and I still heard him puking with the joker next to him

So the nights I had him feed a baby with my milk was way too much work easier to pop in a boob. If I had to Listen to 5 minuets if crying then time to heat my milk it was too damn stressful and I was wake and pissy at that point. But ya do what works!

mikinna · September 2018

@mcgeeva hmmmm I hadn’t thought about having to hear the baby cry and stuff while heating the bottle up. I had originally thought to purely pump, but I feel like “popping out a boob” is going to be more and more enticing as time goes on haha

@scaredunprepared welcome to the club!!

I’m so sorry about your fur baby though

I’ll be sending positive vibes your way, although I know that does jack for your situation.

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva Yes! 100%! I could not agree more. My H loves our kids, but they just don’t wake up or anticipate their needs the same. Plus, as a mom, when you hear your child, there is a strong need to check on them, so I would have been up anyway.

mcgeeva · September 2018

Men live in a bubble I swear! I have one girlfriend who's husband does night feedings. I was like what??????????? He is a saint! But did you have to kick his butt out of bed? Lol my boys always fed in 10 mins flat as time went on so it was feed and plop back down. So I'm hoping for the same minus reflux issues.

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva what drove me nuts last time, was that my MIL would regularly ask me how H was sleeping, because she was so worried about him getting injured at work if he was tired. WTF woman! Your son is sleeping fine! I haven’t slept through the night in months, but thanks so much for your concern!

mcgeeva · September 2018

@katy0990 Oh stop it! Is he an only child? I love how everyone always caters to men and worries about their well being. One time my husband was home alone with a cold and a neighbor brought him soup. I was so pissed. Yet im home daily with a toddler and a baby while he travels and I didn't get any soup...bitter lol

Fruitcove7 · September 2018

How far along are you? How big is baby?

I’m 25+3, according to Ovia, she's the size of a baseball glove

How are you feeling this week? Any new symptoms?

Very tired. Sleep is getting harder than it used to be. I am continuing chiropractor and acupuncture for the headaches I've had. It seems to be the only thing to help.

Rants/Raves/Questions/Dear Diary?

Nothing really. We have an extremely packed schedule coming up and I am dreading it. Weddings, birthdays, soccer, holidays, oh my! haha. I am just dreading how draining it will all be.

GTKY: What are your maternity leave plans? (How long, will your SO take time, too? etc.)

My C-section is scheduled for December 26th. My husband will be home for a week. I get 6 weeks fully paid leave and then they allow me to work from home (not a big workload) for another 6 weeks. So, 12 weeks total. I can't wait!

Luckily we have family around who will be able to help out when needed.

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva No he has a brother. She is just a very special individual. I would be annoyed about the soup, too.
@fruitcove7 I saw baseball glove and was shocked by how big that seems!

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@Fruitcove7 At least being busy will make the rest of your pregnancy fly by..? That's great you get 6 weeks fully paid. I wish I had a job that would pay any of my maternity leave!

Fruitcove7 · September 2018

@AdorkablePixie Yes! I need to look at the bright side that it'll probably make it fly by.

I am very fortunate to work for a great, family friendly, small business.

mcgeeva · September 2018

Ugh so I didn’t sleep last night. Full on anxiety and just felt off like this baby will show up early and I have so much on my plate not done. And now I can’t shake it. My weeks are so packed with both boys in baseball and Saturdays are full of games I just want to go home and cry today but need to work my butt off to save up pto for my maternity leave to kick in. I now need to head home to make a big ass list of things that need to be done including removing our ceiling which half of the things I have zero control over which is making me freak even more. All this pre-e talk yesterday has my mind going which is another stressor. Today is going to be awesome!

Check In 9.18 (EDD 12.24-12.31+)

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